Today's Youngsters Carrying Too Heavy A Load

Seen this before? A kid hoists over his shoulder a backpack almost as big as he is, then runs off.

Convenient, yes, maybe even cute. But surprisingly often, overloaded or improperly worn backpacks can wrench, twist or strain the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints in youthful backs, shoulders and arms.

"I hear it over and over again," says Dr. Peter J. Romano II, a Plantation orthopedist who specializes in children. "They carry these 20 and 30 pound backpacks, or even more. The muscles are overtaxed, they become strained and they hurt."

In one survey, two-thirds of students complained of back pain. The injuries are happening regularly enough that they have won a nickname, backpack syndrome.

There's no proof so far that backpacks cause chronic or permanent harm such as scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine. But doctors' groups say it stands to reason that daily exposure to heavy loads poses a risk, like any other heavy lifting.

Properly worn, the backpack is a godsend, better than book bags or gym bags that put all the weight on one side, says the American Physical Therapy Association.

Backpacks are supported by the strongest muscles in the body: the back and abdominal muscles, which together hold the body stable and in alignment.

But a couple of trends lie behind backpack pain.

First, unlike in their parents' day, many students do not have lockers, mainly because overcrowded schools do not have enough to go around. Lockers may be so far from classrooms that students do not have time to return during the day.

So, students are forced to tote all their books from class to class, and then home for homework. Older students may bring laptop computers every day. They can be seen leaning forward unnaturally to counterbalance the load. They wind up carrying one-third of their body weight, more than twice what they should, the association says.

Also, it's cool in some circles to wear backpacks low on the back, where muscles are not as strong. And a 1994 study showed that almost three-fourths of students tote their backpacks by one strap. That forces them to lean, curving the spine.

But the cool ways are the riskier ways, more likely to twist the back or distort the healthy shape of the spine, the association says.

So what do you do? Tips from the association and orthopedists:

Lighten up. Carry no more than 10 to 15 percent of body weight. Leave the nonessentials at home.

Wear it right. Put the straps over both shoulders, position it in the middle of the back and tie the straps around the waist.

Buy it right. Look for shoulder straps that are wide and padded to evenly spread the load. Look for a waist tie.

Shift the load. If the back hurts, shift the weight temporarily to rest the muscles. A rule of thumb: Position the pack on the spot where it hurts, so that other areas take over the work.

Talk to the school. Some will issue two sets of books, especially if the child has pain.

Listen to your child. Parents too often ignore complaints or dismiss the child as a whiner.

The same for the kids, Romano says: "They should listen to their bodies, and if their backs are hurting, they should see the doctor."

For a free brochure on the back or scoliosis, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to APTA, Taking Care of Your Back and/or Scoliosis, P.O. Box 37257, Washington, D.C. 20013.

Bob LaMendola can be reached at blamendola@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4526.